Halo In The Blood
by Moody-Muse
Summary: River and Mal. River's gone wooly and Simon's drinking and spewing his guts. A locked up River hears and leaves, Mal missing his 'Tross by seconds. Where it goes nobody knows...
1. Chapter 1

**Sigh...it's been so long!  
But I'm back now and this is one of the promised postings. Hope you enjoy, more to come and the other stories shall be updated as soon as I can swing it!  
Without further ado.

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**Part I:

Simon smiles slightly as he watches Mal describe his latest plan.

He holds up his hand to interrupt and glances at Kaylee, "Should I just prep the infirmary now or do you want me to act surprised when you get shot?"

Mal levels him an annoyed look, "No one is getting shot, not me even. River, tell them."

As chuckles echo around the table Mal eyes River.

River smiles at the jesting and closes her eyes, suspending her barriers and glancing through what she knew was to come.

Silence reigns as River sits still and remains quiet. She can't see. She can't figure out what will happen after those doors open.

Mal walks without thinking and kneels down before his witch, "River, what's wrong woman?"

River opens her eyes wide in slight fear, "I can't see. Ramp opens…stage goes black."

Mal reaches up and lays his hand to her cheek, "Come on, up wit' ya woman."

River stood numb with worried fear and Simon stood as well. "Don't need to disrupt everyone. We'll be back." Mal calls as the pair disappear.

Inara stares after them along with every other crew member. "Does this mean we're all humped?" Kaylee asks.

Zoe shook her head, "Mean something." Jayne snorts, "Moony's losin' 'er touch. Or she just can't see. Who cares, we'll deal, let's finish dinner."

The five crew sat and ate, pleasantly forgetting their captain and pilot-slash-witch as much as possible.


	2. Chapter 2

**Well...it's been a long time.**

**Review Replies:**

**Gwenfrewi72 -Thanks!  
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**Chibiboku -Wait you did. Hope you haven't given up on this story!  
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**Jadzia Bear -Ha, thanks! I always thought Simon had a few good lines in him.  
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**DarkDreamer1982 -Yay, glad I can get you to read even if I took forever with the next installment.  
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**EnsignAbby - Continuing, finally.  
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Mal sat River on a crate in the galley and looks into her fear stricken gaze.

"Tell me what you know."

River moves her lips to form the words and they are silent as her eyes stay locked with Mal's and her pupils dilate the least bit.

Mal narrows his eyes as his witch's lips move furiously and her gaze is distant. For a moment it feels like she's looking deep within him but Mal knows she's looking through him.

With a strong hand he reaches up confidently and lays his hand to her cheek.

"Stay with me River." he whispers.

River's eyes refocus and slowly sound builds behind her words, a slow mumble builds to a steady voice and Mal hears the slight distance, the rhythm. He knows River is hiding in her comforts, she is dancing in her head.

"We wake up. Go about schedule. The hour draws near. We prep with weapons and the pay load for Diamond.

"I rile Jayne up before so he is prepared. Zoe checks the pay load. You hustle us along. Simon waits in the infirmary. Kaylee is there to close the ramp after us and then she will go to the engine room. Inara is on the bridge.

"I come over to you and the ramp opens. We are smiling. But instead of the scene getting brighter for this girl the scene goes dark, stage closes."

Mal nods and strokes her cheek lightly. He looks at River's hands as they come up to slice through the air.

She motions quickly, her fingers flying as her wrists bend and swivel and her lips part slightly as her eyes lose focus and dart around whatever world she is in.

Mal pushes her father back on the crate and kneels before her, his hands splayed on her face.

"River, River, don't do that. It's safe. You're okay. Come back. Stay with me."

Mal watches as she keeps it up, he knows he no longer exists to her.

She is lost in herself. Mal hates that he can't help her.

Suddenly she stills and River's eyes close, her body stiffens and she sits like that for minutes that pass like hours for Mal as he watches her with bated breath.

"It's not safe." She whispers and opens her eyes.

She stares into Mal's eyes and he quickly puts on a smile.

"Come now 'Tross, it'll be fine. We're still flyin' and that's all that matters. We'll still be flyin' after this meet.

"Last time you couldn't see it was because you wound up breaking your ribs. And that only happened because you knocked me away from that shot.

"I am determined to not get shot. So that means I'm determined to keep you not shot. It'll be fine."

River swallows, she knows despite Mal being so close to her, his fear for her will keep him ignorant.

"I can feel the storm coming. We've passed through a fair few but this one won't let go."

Mal smiles and doesn't respond as his heart pounds in his chest and he pulls River from the crate and into an embrace half protectiveness and half comfort.


	3. Chapter 3

**Another update? Yup. I plan a few more too.

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**It happens just like River describes. As they prepare for the job they cross their fingers and hope for the best.

River stands next to Mal as the ramp opens and Jayne and Zoe sit in the mule, ready to go.

River smiles to Mal as the dust settles around the ramp and nothing but the sight of the city limits reach their eyes.

River walks out and looks around, trying to see but still unable to.

With a curt shake of her head she walks back to Mal and he escorts her to the mule, tossing her into her seat.

They drive for a short time and Jayne lightens the mood by growling. A lot. At River.

River giggles as he continually growls and then sighs, "Man called Jayne…I meant only to get you in the mood for our job. Do not be so terribly angry."

Jayne grumbles and Mal glances back,

"Now don't make me come back there you two. No killin' each other 'fore the job."

Jayne snorts, "Maybe, maybe Mal you could take me, on your best day. But ain't no way in hell ya could take Riv. No way in hell."

River smiles at him, never before had he admitted she was better than him so freely.

Maybe the job would be good after all.

They ride the rest of the way with sporadic conversation.

When Zoe pulls them up to the curb Mal smiles and nods, "Jayne?"

Jayne smirks and stands, hauling the pay load over his shoulder as his free hand clutches around his girl Benny.

"We are ready to play at business Captain." River answers as she slides a hunting knife from a garter strapped to her thigh under her dress.

Jayne blinks as he sees the knife and River smiles, "It is the one you eyed at Pillar. It is also a gift."

Jayne releases Benny as River holds the hilt of the carefully balanced stainless steel hunting knife out to him.

"Riv," he trails off as he stares at the knife and River giggles.

"I prefer my girl Lexi to her. She was always meant to be your girl."

River pulls Lexi out and twirls the knife about. Mal sends her a look and she winks to him playfully.

"Name?" River asks Jayne as he smiles to her.

"Her name is River."

Zoe blinks, "Whoa, did you just make a gesture of thanks by naming your weapon after River?"

River smiles, "Name one weapon after another."

Mal scowls at that, he reaches over and grasps River's hand, leading his crew, "You ain't a weapon 'Tross. I appreciate the family bonding and all but work is to be done. See anything yet River?"

River sobers and shakes her head, "No. It makes no sense."

Zoe steps closer to her, "Well then, let's stick together and hurry it on."

Jayne brandishes River proudly and scans the crowds to protect his crew.


	4. Chapter 4

**ANOTHER!

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River can't breathe. She can't feel. Can't see. The world around her is going dark and no one else seems to notice.

Mal is suddenly aware of River sitting all tensed up at his side. He notices the eyes of his clients straying to her, going wide as they assess her.

He turns his head slowly, almost afraid to look.

River is staring blankly at her hands as they sit flat on top of the smooth metal table. Her eyes are glazed and empty. River is gone.

"Uh, Mal, I say it'd be a good time to close the deal." Zoe whispers.

The clients hastily agree, handing over the crews earning and contacts for a new job. Mal accepts and stands, shaking hands as Jayne holds the credits and Zoe sees to River.

Mal turns and looks over River, she still sits stiffly and her eyes are empty. She doesn't move, doesn't blink. It doesn't seem that she is breathing.

"Li'l 'Tross, I need you to look at me." Mal kneels before River and tries to move her hands from the table. He frowns as he feels her whole body tensed.

"River," he murmurs and places a hand to her cheek. Zoe shifts her feet, a prickle crossing over her skin as she unholsters her Mare's Leg. Jayne feels it to, he clutches the pay tighter as he pulls out Betty, a medium sized rifle.

River feels her family around her, but stronger is the feeling of someone in her mind. They flip things about, touch things they aren't supposed to. It's him, the man behind the experiments-he is in her mind and he hasn't the right.

River's body spasms suddenly and she shoots down onto her knees, hands gripping the table hard enough to dent. She shakes and Mal stares as she fights the voice in her head.

"Zoe, you and Jayne get back to the ship and warm those engines. I'll be along with 'Tross shortly."

River turns her head to look at Mal and whispers, "Run."


	5. Chapter 5

**Short one numero cinco.

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"Simon!" Zoe yells as she runs onto the ship. Jayne follows close behind and the doc runs up with Kaylee on his heels.

"Riv's lost it. Mal's getting her but we gotta prep to fly and you best ready a sedative. A big one."

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Mal glares at the people starting to gather around the seedy bar and stare at his girl. He reaches out and slowly pulls her weapons off her as she kneels still shaking. As he removes the last one she freezes and a fist clenches in his gut.

"This girl is not your prop."

'_River, you're not my prop. You're my pet.'_

"She won't. She won't."

Mal swallows hard and grabs her wrist, wrenching them from the table and pulling her to her feet as he tries to get her to look at him.

"Riv, bao bei, listen to me. I'll get ya home. Don't worry."

'_He cares so much for you. I think you should kill him.'_

River gasps as the whispering voice tries to order her to kill.

"He's not going to die. This girl won't do it. The only one she will kill is you."

'_Stubborn. I've broken you before.'_

Mal stops as River begins to shake again, he places her small wrists in one hand as he raises his free hand to her cheek, "Riv, look at me-River!"

Her empty eyes flash to his and she stills as she tries to block the voice from her hide, tries to throw him out.

"There's my girl. Come on, I'll get you home."

River tries to walk beside him and then she feels a snap in her mind and screams.

Mal stares at his girl, watches her scream and feels the eyes of everyone on him. River suddenly goes limp, crashing to the floor and almost dragging Mal with her in his surprise.

"River!" Mal looks up and sees all the faces, "I suggest all you folk clear outta her, trouble gon' hit."

River lays still and unconscious. In her mind, the man is mucking things about as she tries to fight him. _'You will do as I say pet. I hold the leash.'_

River's eyes open in an eerie flash of lashes lifting and Mal stands and takes a step back, hand going to his gun.

River looks at the ceiling and sees images of Serenity and her family, tears leak down her cheeks as the images are replaced by the man whispering to her.

"The weapon will do her job to please the master." She whispers unwillingly.

Mal gulps as he dives behind a table and wracks his brain to remember River's safe word.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi!

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River moves like a storm through the small seedy bar, she twirls and fights her way through until no one is left to fight with.

Mal stands from his hiding place and sees River waver as she begins to walk toward him.

"Li'l 'Tross, surely you don't mean to harm me."

River continues walking and tears begin pouring down her cheeks once more.

"Fine. Then catch me." And with no other plan, Malcolm Reynolds, Captain of Serenity and a Browncoat runs like a madman through the bar doors and toward his ship.

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Simon wrings his hands as he hovers at the ramp of Serenity. He is with the rest of the crew, Zoe who holds on to the butt of her pistol and Jayne who holds Vera. Kaylee is in the engine room and Inara is in the cockpit, ready to fly.

"Go se," Jayne whispers as he sees two figures approaching Serenity at a run.

"Doc!" Zoe shouts and bolts through the doors. Simon and Jayne chase after her.

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Mal glances over his shoulder to see River rapidly running behind him, empty eyes still leaking tears. His heart feels like it's breaking a bit.

"Gorram woman, you really want me dead, eh?" he yells back in a breathless taunt.

'_Kill! Make him suffer!'_

River tries to stop running, she tries to fight it but all she can do is run. The tears fall down her cheeks and they are all she can control, all she can feel-tears that show her sorrow for what she has done, what she will do and for the fact that she is helpless and beyond help.

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Zoe stops running and aims her gun when she starts to make out Mal's face. Then she gapes at the attacker. "River?" she murmurs and lowers her gun.

Jayne stares at her, "Woman, we gotta stop her! She looks ready to kill us all!"

Simon hollers at him, "Don't you touch my sister!"

Mal hears him and yells back, "Doc! Sedative! Calm her!" As he speaks he stops running and turns, bracing his feet and catching River as she continues to run.

River tries to stop herself. She tries. But all she can do is listen to the whisper that isn't hers.

Zoe and Jayne try to get in the scuffle of River and Mal rolling around on the ground.

Simon grasps the needle, ready to inject his baby sister.

Mal gasps as River digs her knee into his ribs and her fist connects with his jaw. He rolls them until he's on top and he tries to pin down her flying fists. She raises her head up and slams her forehead to his nose, causing Mal to rear back and have blurry vision. At the chance, she swings her legs up and catches them around Mal's neck.

"River!" Simon yells.

'_Kill! Kill! Kill!'_

The assault on her mind is too much, she can't control herself, she hears and feels it all and yet none of it is her.

Zoe and Jayne grab River and haul Mal free of her only to get the pleasure of River kicking them to the ground. Mal rolls to his feet and motions her to come at him and River takes a shaky step his way before locking her muscles.

Her crew stands and Simon tries to inch toward her. She stares at Mal and whispers to him, "Kill the weapon or die by her hand."

Mal swallows hard and sees Jayne and Zoe go in to grab River. He shakes his head at his crew, "Don't touch her. River, keep looking at me. That's it bao bei, fight it."

River shakes slightly and then a pinch in her arm makes her look away from Mal.

Mal dives forward as River looks to Simon, the empty needle pulls from her arm as she slams a fist to Simon's jaw.

"Everyone back! She should drop in a few seconds."

Mal grabs River's wrists and pulls her to his chest, trying to incapacitate her as much as he can.

"Kill the weapon. Her master will make her kill you."

'_Weaker than you used to be. I'll get you back pet, and then we can train that weakness out of you.'_

"Kill her before he gets her back."

Mal looks in to River's eyes as her head lolls back on to his shoulder. "I won't let anyone get you, and no one's gonna harm you."

As River goes limp in his arms he looks at Simon and growls, "What in the rosy sphincter o'hell happened to the safe word?"


	7. Chapter 7

**I just feel weird not writing something here...

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Mal sat with River as he shackled her. The memories of the last time he had to do this rose to the surface and he reached out, cupping her cheek.

"Little witch, I hope you can hear me. Listen close, I don't give one gorram bit about anyone who tries to control you. So when you wake up, point me in the direction of whoever is trying to control you and I'll kill them. Dong ma?"

Mal stands and strides out of the room, sealing the door from the outside and feeling a fist in his gut for his girl.

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"What do we do?" Kaylee whispers. Inara sits next to her with a grim expression. Simon stares at the door to River and swallows hard.

"Mal, can you set us down on land? I need to pick up a few supplies."

Mal nods to the doc and looks over his shocked crew, "We'll go land on Panta. We got contacts to meet there in a few days anyway."

They all nod and Mal walks to the cockpit, staying there long after the course is set. Part of him wants to go to River, but the sensible part of him knows if he's there and she wakes up out of control he'll be dead and she'll be unstoppable.

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River stares at the wall as she listens to Mal's thoughts. Tears roll down her cheeks and she whispers, "Mal, I won't let him make me kill you. Please don't give up on me. Don't be like the others. Please."


	8. Chapter 8

**Last one I've written tonight.

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Simon slams back a shot and smiles bitterly to the crew. They sit around a table in the corner, in a little bar not too far from where Serenity is docked with River still on board and locked up.

He twirls the glass and Kaylee lays a hand to his shoulder, "We'll listend if'n ya wanna talk." Her whispered words make Simon scoff.

"I'm just thinking about River." He pauses and slams another shot before continuing, "She was so amazing. So special and…and perfect."

Most of the crew leans in, drawn in by his bitter honesty. The way his voice comes out makes Mal tense, drawing back into his seat and tightening his grip on his glass.

Feeling run wild in the crew and Simon smiles angrily and with pained eyes, "She was an angel. Her halo firmly atop her head, she's be an angel for everyone and anyone. After the Academy and the Alliance and all of that go se, well, they stole her halo."

Kaylee opens her mouth but Inara stops her. Simon goes on without noticing, "Somewhere in the 'Verse are the men who did that to my mei mei. I want to find them and ask them why and I want to demand they fix her. I want them to die slowly and painfully."

Simon pauses and runs his hand through his hair, he looks at every face of his new family. He rests his eyes on Mal and his voice darkens. "They stole her halo, made her so she can't wear it ever again and now she's more a fallen angel. No halo, not the River she once was. I used to watch her wear her halo so very well, she was perfect and it was perfect for her."

The crew is silent and Mal clenches his jaw in anger at the young man's words. He slams the burning liquid contents of his glass and stands with a scrape of his chair as he lets his eyes glare at his ship's doctor.

"She might not have a halo, but she does have so much more. She's not the same River, granted. But she is River and she's amazing and the person she is now s a might and shiny perfect. Don't go saying things you'll regret doctor, I'll not stand for any of you saying words on 'Tross."

Mal walks away with tensed shoulders and fisted hands, his crew staring after him with shocked expressions.

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On the ship River wipes her cheeks roughly, using a discarded hairpin to pick her way out of the cuffs and then going to the door, staring at the lock and waiting for the door to slide open.

"Leaking, always leaking lately."

The door's lock gives with a pop and slides open. River smiles sadly and steps out, going to her room and shoving everything she owns-not much-into her bag.

She closes her eyes and focuses on her family in the bar, sensing Mal missing from the group. She hurriedly scribbles a letter to them all, sealing it in an envelope and putting Mal's name on it. She had written a small passage to him and now walks out in to the hall, leaving the envelope by the discarded cuffs.

"Unwanted. Dangerous. I will not hurt them, and I will not force them to deal with me."

River feels Mal's presence coming closer and all but runs to the airlock, she climbs down the ramp and locks it, hiding in an alley as Mal comes in to view.

Mal walks to open the ramp and stops, running his hand along the glowing keypad. He looks over his shoulder and scans for threats, his gaze caught on the alley.

River holds her breath.

Mal toys with the idea of checking it out, making sure no one is trying to enter his ship and that no one is possibly threatening his witch. His want to see River, to actually be with her to protect her, wins out and he opens the ramps, entering quietly and locking it back up.

River smiles sadly and walks away with tears. She knows where to find passage off of Panta. She knows she has to be fast, Mal will come for her soon. The big damn hero in him would demand to save her, but she wouldn't let him do that again. Once was enough, she had to get out of the way and let her family live simple and safe.


	9. Chapter 9

**Review Replies:**

**Annie - Glad to be back! Thank you, I wish you the same!**

**Gwenfrewi72 - First off, thank you for taking the time to submit three separate reviews. So sweet! I hope you enjoy this snippet and I'll be sure to get more up soon!  
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**This one is actually more of a teaser, a chapter 8.5 if you will. **

**Impatient Buddha, the gou shi is about to hit the fan. **

**I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!  
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River skulks in the shadows of the small transport vessel. She eyes the little crew and the passengers, reading them for threats. They are all concerned with their own matters, ready to fly off world and move on to the next problem.

She walks carefully, one foot in front of the other to the back of the ship, hiding her bag in a small alcove by the engine room. River props herself by a small window in the alcove, eyes fixed toward the direction of Serenity as she whispers supposed nonsense, her subconscious making them connect.

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Mal walks slower and slower toward the closet where River is locked away. He feels a prickle alone his neck, a twinge in his gut. Something is wrong. He does not want to find out overtly much but of their own will his feet pick themselves up at the pace of a run.

"River!" he shouts as he sees the open door, his eyes taking in the shiny cuffs laying useless, a white envelope sitting in stark contrast to the steel grating.

Mal's feet freeze, his brain freezes-only his heart kicks into overdrive.


End file.
